Distance Education in Work Life:The Case of Turkey
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The Online Journal of Distance Education and e-Learning, July 2016 Volume 4, Issue 3 DISTANCE EDUCATION IN WORK LIFE:THE CASE OF TURKEY Prof. Dr. Elif YUKSEL OKTAY Yalova University, Turkey [email protected] Abstract: The developments in information and communication technologies have led to copious changes in human life, which in effect initiated a full-scale transformation in traditional work life. In the new-age of information there is higher demand for educated and intellectual employees; hence to ensure that new generation can manage to keep up with rapidly-transforming technological environment, national educational systems have also governments must modify their national education systems. Distance education is among such education methods that can be applied to adapt to the information age. That is due to the fact that via distance education individuals can, without facing the time and space limitations of the traditional educational method, benefit from information technologies and renew themselves in work life or acquire new skills and competencies in a completely distinctive subject. Distance education can be used not only for university students but it can also be offered to the use of employed individuals. It is thus the aim of this study to analyze the state of distance education in the work life in Turkey. INTRODUCTION Information and communication technologies have led to copious changes in human life, which in effect initiated a full-scale transformation in traditional work life. As regards its global dimension technology management necessitates monitoring the entire set of technological developments in the world and by selecting the one most advantageous for any given organization, it calls for putting the selected option into practice via the best method. That is related to the fact that globalization has now turned all global companies into competitors. Hence organizations are, including each one of their employees, required to be open to developments and continuously support their employees who are willing to display their innovations to ensure the future success of the company. It is an undeniable truth that at the heart of scientific and technological advancement lies innovation. In the bolstering of innovation, work life trainings provided to the employee are equally vital as the formal education offered during school years. Education and development for organizations is a concept introduced in the 1920s, but its practice as a professional domain dates to the 1940s. In the 1940s particular emphasis was rendered to select the applicable educational context and the methods to apply in the assessment of education (Turhan et al., 2012:8). In parallel with the developments in technology, traditional in-class face-to-face education has been superseded by distance education practices. Being the greatest invention of the 20th century the Internet turned into a commercial practice once Pentagon-stationed network at the end of 1970s became accessible to educational institutions in 1986 and research institutions and to commercial enterprises in 1990. Low cost of the computer and modem in the USA gave rise to the higher frequency of Internet use. Education is decisively a critical element of all organizations but it is true that classical educational activities have led to serious losses of time and resources. Nowadays a large number of organizations that resort to information and communication technologies for their educational activities hugely benefit from the practices of distance education which also advanced parallel to the development in technology and gained a further-effective role. Through the Internet www.tojdel.net Copyright © The Online Journal of Distance Education and e-Learning 1 The Online Journal of Distance Education and e-Learning, July 2016 Volume 4, Issue 3 employees are supplied with interactive education and learning means a.k.a “Online Education”, “Education via Web”, “Electronic Education”, “Virtual Education” and “E-learning” that all eliminate the requirement to be physically available in any workplace environment. Via distance education practices organization gain an advantage in terms of time, space and cost and employees can practice any subject, any time, anywhere which in effect enables a deeper learning experience spread over time. It is thus the aim of this study to analyze the state of distance education in the work life in Turkey. 1.CONCEPT OF DISTANCE EDUCATION Distance education can be defined as, “any official learning process in which the educator and the learner are physically distant from one another”. Unlike traditional education it offers the learners a self-learning opportunity and is adaptable to the conditions of more flexible individuals. In distance education the objective is, by completely or partially removing the limits in providing educational service to individuals, to reach education opportunities for the use of wider masses (İsman, 2011:14). In another saying the goal in distance education is to enable mass education by benefiting from technology and to personalize learning-teaching activities, which translates to an opportunity for self-learning. In distance education there is no requirement to be at a certain age or educational level; there is time flexibility; freedom of environment and space; communication and interaction is offered customized; production and practicing of high-standard educational tools is coordinated from the Center; learner and educator are physically separated; a vast number of individuals can receive information from their locations; self-learning educational method is systemically arranged; electronic media and personal learning tools are utilized; and lastly an educational company that involves assessment process is provided. Advantages offered via distance education system can be listed such (Yurdakul, 2011:276-277): -Via distance education new opportunities, aside from formal and informal education means, can be provided. More comprehensive and effective educational means that can complete the defects of traditional educational practices can be devised. The transformation from selective-eliminative system to diagnostic-productive structure; from non-optional and fixed processes to flexible and optional processes becomes easier. -Distance education can offer flexibility to the learners with respect to the learning environment and time. Learners can learn at any time or day of the week; at any date or even at holiday time; thus they are no longer required to learn within the imposed or mandated deadlines. From the viewpoint of learners the problem to catch faster learners or getting tedious due to slower learners is no longer an issue to tackle with. -For some learners it might even offer a cure to isolation within school environment or peer groups. In a different saying, it might eliminate the risk of social isolation for some individuals. -Via distance education practices personal autonomy and critical thinking skills can be further boosted through learning how to acquire and question effective information from various resources. www.tojdel.net Copyright © The Online Journal of Distance Education and e-Learning 2 The Online Journal of Distance Education and e-Learning, July 2016 Volume 4, Issue 3 - Distance education proves to be an effective tool in the democratization of education; reaching education to wider masses; allowing the citizens to benefit from the right of education in the same degree; removing the inequalities faced in educational opportunities which collectively relate to providing the individuals a fair, egalitarian, full- scale and optional, extensive and effective service. -It may thus become feasible to transmit to a teaching system based on the needs of society- individual rather than merely considering the needs of society. -By applying a variety of program types the multiple interests, desires, needs and expectations of learners can be met. -For the ones who, despite being endowed with proper skills, missed normal education due to several reasons or due to existing education models and fell behind learning-teaching processes, distance education can offer the chance for aspired learning experience during any-given period of their life. -It can offer cost-effective solutions to the problems connected to providing education service. Per person educational cost is, by many measures, comparatively lower than formal education costs. -Being aimed but not very effectively-actualized objectives of traditional system; such as decision making, taking full responsibility for learning, problem solution, entrepreneurship and learning how to learn, can be polished. Since it is a system based on self-learning, learners may acquire higher skills of systematic study; selecting appropriate methods; self- check and self - correction. On the other hand distance education has certain limitations which can be listed as below (Sarıabdullahoglu, Ersoy, 2008:32): - Since the student is alone and in a distant place, s/he cannot enjoy the supportive atmosphere of classroom environment, - Since there is no other student to compare what is learnt, the learner has no interaction with other students, - Educational contexts or web pages must be periodically updated, - In this form of teaching there is no face-to-face interaction or eye contact, - If the courses not appropriate for distance education are presented via distance education, the course fails to be effective, - Teachers cannot control students in the way it is feasible